This invention is directed to a technique for controlling electronic equipment and, more particularly, to facilitate programming such equipment to operate in a time-dependent manner.
Electronic equipment is being provided with increasingly sophisticated capabilities to operate in a time-dependent manner. For example, the equipment is turned on and off, and/or its operation switched from one function to another, at preset times. A set of controls is provided to enable the consumer to program the equipment in the desired manner. The video cassette recorder (VCR) is a popular example of an appliance operated under time control, although audio tape recorders, cooking devices, and even cleaning devices such as washing machines can also be included in this category. Because the VCR's are perhaps the most widely used example for such time-dependent programming, the following discussion will specifically relate only to VCR's. However, the mention of only VCR's in the following discussion should in no way be interpreted as limiting the invention to that type of equipment.
In order to provide the consumer with a full array of features aimed at maximizing the value and enjoyment of a VCR, the programming and timer systems can be rather complex and, therefore, difficult to learn and operate. Various controls such as buttons, knobs, switches, as well as actuation sequences involving such controls, are required in order to complete a programming setup. Consequently, people who are not technically oriented may experience great difficulty in programming the VCR quickly and correctly. Displays for monitoring the selected settings are typically relatively small and difficult to see clearly. Moreover, the VCR can be placed in a variety of locations some of which may be inconvenient to reach because, for example, the user must stoop down to actuate the controls and to view the display. Furthermore, the particular technique of programming a VCR varies from brand to brand and from model to model. Thus, some confusion and mishandling of VCR's may occur if more than one brand is used in a household or office.
Another disadvantage of the prior art lies in the fact that enabling time-dependent operation requires use of the equipment itself. Thus, all known approaches for programming a VCR require utilization of the VCR itself. Consequently, the capacity of the VCR in terms of memory size, period of time for advance programming, number of events, etc. imposes an upper limit on the usefulness of the programming mode. Also, the VCR itself must, of course, be available to carry out the programming. Thus, programming cannot be done while the VCR is recording, or if it happens to be elsewhere. A significant advantage could be gained if it were possible to store such programming data in a manner other than one depending exclusively on the availability of the VCR.